The Explorers, the Shapeshifters and the Demi-god: a Moana story
by Oannah
Summary: There is an island who bestows a great gift upon its inhabitants: shapeshifting. Yet, the island is slowly sinking at the bottom of the sea. What will happen when Moana and her people catch three of those strange creature who lead her to their island, in desperate need of a miracle?
1. Prelude

**Hey :) So this is the first fanfcition I ever publish in english and, please, if you see any mistakes (mispelling, etc) feel free to let me know :) So I hope you like this and give me your opinion! (Please be respectful, english is not my first language after all) :)**

The sun was almost gone beneath the horizon. Purple was the sea, and gloom seemed the boats that sailed on its surface. Although, if one looked a little closer, they could see that those boats were far from being gloom: they were only in a small moment of rest that the ocean had granted them. The explorers had indeed traveled a great distance and the weak breeze was perfect for taking a break while watching the sunset. The few of them that worked were only to recover the nets that had been thrown in the morning. Still, the task was done lightly, with glimpse of music in their hearts. The first stars wouldn't appear until a few minutes. On the main boat, Moana stared at the horizon with her hand on her forehead as she tried not to be disturbed by the strong last rays of sunlight. The first moment of peace in a few days. Her tired mind couldn't focus on any goal but one: finding new territories to explore. She let her brown eyes carefully examine the line between the sea and the sky, trying to spot any seagull or island she could find. A hand on her shoulder made her jump: her father stared at her, amused:

"Anything in sight?"

The young woman shook her head and observed the ocean once again. Even if her father only stood next to her in silence, Moana knew what he wanted to say. The water supplies were running low, the crew was tired and the only food left was the fishes they caught on a daily basis. It had been a while since their last stop. Alas, still no island in sight. No one complained, but everyone had the same thought. That is why she kept examining the horizon, in hopes of finding anything that could give a rest to her and her crew. Chief Tui sighed:

"Don't worry, Moana, we'll find an island soon enough."

"I know"

She gave her father an optimistic smile and decided to get some rest. She sat down next to a sleeping Pua and let the breeze stroke her skin. Helplessly, her thoughts went to the first time she sailed, along with Maui, to return the heart of Te Fiti. The ocean felt so much purer than back then. A few years had passed; a few years spent exploring the sea in search of new islands along with her people. A few years to change everything for the better. Moana wouldn't lose hope. They would find a way to get some water and fresh supplies. All they needed was time.

The sun disappeared beneath the horizon, leaving them under the night sky. Stars reflected themselves on the water's surface, giving the illusion that they were sailing in a boundless sky. They were never in the dark, not really. But as soon as the moon appeared, a man from one of the fishing boats called out:

"Chief Tui, Moana, I think you should come and see this immediately!"

At the sound of their names, both of them stood up and hurried to join the calling man. Yet, as soon as they saw what he wanted them to see, all they could do was stare in disbelief. There, in the net, wiggled two men and a woman, trying to escape from the fishermen. Moana could distinguish a lionfish tattoo on one of the men's chest. When he noticed that he was being observed, he stopped moving, as did his companions.

"I swear they were all fishes a few minutes ago."


	2. Healani

**Hi! So this chapter is a bit longer (although not very long) and the next chapters will be about the same length. I hope to enjoy and feel free to leave a review :)**

The three strangers didn't seem like they wanted to escape. Instead, the man with the lionfish tattoo offered a nervous smile, while the two others exchanged a look. Even if a bit of light would have been welcomed, Chief Tui didn't want to scare them. With a simple hand gesture, he removed the net from the captives and threw it aside. Maybe this way, they wouldn't feel threatened. Maybe he could communicate with them. Maybe.

Now that they weren't covered with the net, Moana could see them more clearly. The woman had short curly hair with a giant trevally tattoo on her stomach. Ink covered most parts of her body, but the fish stood out from the rest. As for the other man, he had a strong body, with muscles also covered with innumerable tattoos. The most noticeable of them was an eel wrapped around his neck. The man with the lionfish tattoo was younger than his two companions, as he had the only skin untouched by the marks of time. As Moana could see, he was still considered as their leader. The way they waited for him to talk or act was giving it away. Chief Tui had noticed that, and thus tried to speak to him:

"Do you understand our language?"

The man nodded. His face brightened and his smile became a grin. Both his companions looked at each other with expressions of great joy.

"Are you here to save us?" the woman exclaimed, trying to contain her excitement.

"Save you?"

Chief Tui glanced at his daughter, wondering if she knew what this was about. Obviously, she was as clueless as he was. He frowned.

"Save you from what?"

But the three strangers were too excited to hear. The three of them got up on their feet and paced the fishing boat with jubilation:

"Our chief knew! She knew that her prayers would be heard. We are saved!"

Their loudness had attracted a few other fishermen. They stared at the odd strangers in disbelief: who were they? Moana didn't know. That fisherman had sworn that they were fishes, and the young woman believed that it might have been connected to their tattoos. Or maybe the fisherman was lying, but she ignored that option. Fishing three humans without noticing was impossible. That could only mean one thing:

"Are you shapeshifters?"

Silence was her only response. Her question had sufficed to get everyone's attention: even the strangers watched her now, waiting for her to continue. She cleared her throat:

"The fisherman said that he thought you were fishes. Is that true?"

"We are from an island west of here." declared the man with the eel tattoo. "The gods have granted our tribe with the power of shapeshifting. If that answers your question."

"We've been caught in one of your net when we were transformed, and we went back to humans as soon as we touched the boat." the woman explained. "I think that it was meant to be."

Chief Tui glanced at his daughter again. None of their people had dealt with shapeshifters except for Moana, even if it was a few years back. He would let her deal with the situation. He was a cautious man and, although he knew that his daughter was curious and daring, she was going to be chief of their people one day. It was an opportunity for her to lead more than their expedition. She understood:

"Do you want to go back to the water?" she offered, "Or maybe you could lead us to your island?"

"We will gladly take the second option." the man with the lionfish tattoo smiled and sat at the front of the boat, ready to lead the way.

"We can't go back to the water after dark anyway" the woman said without further explanation.

Following the guests instructions, they sailed for most of the night. The lack of wind was sufferable and the boats were moving at a slow pace. The water barely bothered by their presence. The word had traveled fast between each boat, and it was a matter of minutes before everyone was aware of the strangers' presence. Some curious children peaked at the fishing boat that led the way in hopes of catching a glimpse of those outsiders. Their presences meant one thing. A thing that everyone thought about: if there was an island, there were supplies and fresh water. Moana still pondered. What did need to be saved from? But they would talk about it. For the rest of the night, they stared at the horizon, undisturbed, without a word.

When the morning came, the woman pointed at something on the sea. Moana squinted and, after a moment when she couldn't see anything, distinguished a vague form on the horizon. Was it an island? It seemed too flat to be, but too large not to be. She frowned. Islands normally had mountains, or at least hills, but this one didn't show any. It was a flat line floating on the ocean. The tallest man sighed:

"That pathetic looking thing is our home. Welcome to Healani Island."

As their boats approached the island, more of it was observable. Its surface was going on for miles. Miles of what? There was no hill, as Moana had noticed from afar. Many trees of all sorts grew near the water and there seemed to be no beach. Where the leaves ended, the water started. It was a rather strange looking island. The sun was out when they accosted.

The explorers never had had such a welcome committee. Children, elders, men and woman came out from everywhere to watch these travelers set foot on their petty looking island. Some were dazzled, other ecstatic, but Moana couldn't help but notice that some of them were obviously irritated from their presence. She watched a small group of men disappear between the leaves. Trying to ignore what she had witnessed, she reported her attention back on the others. Just like the strangers from the boat, they all had water-related tattoos: most of them were fishes, but there were some octopuses, dolphins, and mollusks. Was it their tattoo the only form they could shapeshift to? She couldn't think about it for long: the man with the lionfish tattoo had grabbed her arm:

"It's time for you to meet our chief!"

 **I will try to update as soon as I can. That is, if finals don't kill me :)**


	3. Akela

**So this is chapter 3, I hope you like it! :)**

Moana and her father followed some men through the woods, until they reached a village. The rest of their people were to stay on the boats. Once they were inside the village, their presence raised whispers and acclamations: everyone was looking at them. They hadn't seen outsiders in years. The locals' skin was covered in tattoos as well, and Moana decided that she was going to ask about it later. Although her people wore them as well, both couldn't be compared. Some bodies were completely covered in ink, except for their face. Only the children's skin was bare. Maybe the tattoos were the source of their magic.

They stopped in front of a house that was bigger than the others. The door was a simple tapestry representing an island surrounded by fishes and birds. An enormous sun shone upon them. Moana knew that it somehow represented their island, although the drawing was showing an island at least one mountain. She didn't know why, but it was gone. All there was left was a flat land.

The crowd suddenly went silent. When Moana looked away from the tapestry, she could see that the locals had kneeled in the house's direction. None of them moved anymore. Their chief was coming. Chief Tui bowed as well, soon to be followed by his daughter. The tapestry was moved and two feet appeared outside. Moana dared to look up.

There stood a woman. She was as tall as a goddess and surely as beautiful. Her long, black hair sparkled under the sun's light, as if it was covered in tiny, shining stars. Her face was as delicate as a bird, but somehow, she was intimidating. Her eyebrows made her look austere. It was almost impossible to tell her age; she seemed either twenty or forty years old. There was no in-between. On her head was a luxurious headwear decorated with flowers, jewel and seashells. Without offering a smile to the visitors, she spoke:

"Is it possible that my prayers might have been heard?"

Her voice was deep and yet shook with emotion. How long had she been praying?

"I do not know, your Highness," Moana risked, still kneeling in front of the beautiful woman. "We met with some of your people and they have led us to your island."

"There is no need for you to call me such names. I am a chief, not a queen." the woman replied sharply, her lips slowly twisting into a faint smile. "I am Akela, chief of Healani Island."

"I am Tui, chief of Moto Nui, and this is my daughter Moana."

The crowd was still kneeling with Akela asked her guests to get back on their feet. Now that she could look at her freely, Moana could notice the beautiful shark tattoo the woman had on her chest.

"Although I am not sure if you are the answers to my prayers or not, I might as well expose our problem to you." Akela declared. "That is, if you are willing to help us."

They followed the chief inside. Unlike her headwear, the inside of her home wasn't that luxurious. The only noticeable thing was a shrine lit by a few candles. It was where Akela had been praying for countless days. They weren't the only one inside: a few women worked on the baskets production. They were of all ages: an old shaking woman helped a child while a new mother carried both her baby and a basket. There were at least twenty of them. Unlike the crowd outside, they didn't bother with the strangers' presence.

"Our island is sinking." Akela said.

"Sinking?" Moana repeated.

"One day, a few months back, we thought that the level of the sea was going up. I sent some men out as sentinels and they quickly discovered that the sand and the reef stood unchanged. We do not know the reason why Healani is drowning, but we need a solution."

"What if the only solution was to find a new island?" Chief Tui asked.

Akela scoffed sadly. "There are a few problems that keep us from leaving. If it was as easy as shapeshifting, we would do it immediately our ability has its limits."

"Do you only have one form?" Moana asked, referring to all the tattoos she had seen.

"Indeed. All our forms are waters animals, but that does not suffice for an emergency escape of this island. You see, we cannot shapeshift when the sun is down. Healani is also home to numerous children, and they learn to transform only at the age of sixteen."

Chief Tui tried to think of a solution. "What about…"

"We do not have the material or the time to build boats. We do not possess any, since the predators are the ones fishing. What we DO possess is a map drawn by our ancestors showing us the way to any other island around here. But this leads to another problem: it takes almost a week to get there."

Both Moana and her father tried to think. How could they prevent a whole tribe from drowning on their island with these conditions?

"We believe that the island will be sunken in a few days."

"Chief! Chief Akela!"

A man's voice made everyone jump. He stumbled inside, eyes wide.

"There is another outsider!" he exclaimed. "He says he heard your prayers! He calls himself a demi-god!"

Leaving her guest behind, Akela followed the man outside. Moana had stiffened at the sound of "demi-god". Her thoughts quickly went to her friend Maui. Was he also on Healani? Then, it meant that the faith of the island could be saved. Or, at least, there was hope.

An hour passed, during which Moana paced around the room in reflection. Akela hadn't invited them to follow her outside, so her father decided that it was best to wait inside. It almost hurt not to know if the demi-god was really Maui. She even tried to convince herself that it wasn't her friend, but it obviously hadn't worked. Suddenly, Akela came back, an irritated look on her face. Maybe it wasn't true. Maybe the demi-god was just a man stupid enough to give hope to those people only to take it away. Before Moana could be disappointed, a massive man followed the chief inside. The young woman couldn't hold back her joy:

"Maui!"

The demi-god smile at the sight of his friend, and hurried next to her:

"Don't you think that for someone in her condition, she should be nicer to her savior?" he asked, pointing at himself.

Moana rolled her eyes. Even after a few years, he hadn't changed at all.


	4. Kalea

**Hey guys! Sorry if I'm posting this a bit late. School has been pretty rough; but here it is! I hope you enjoy ^^**

Akela stared at the three people in front of her. The last hope for the survival of her island was resting in the hands of a chief, a young woman and a demi-god. Their presence, especially Maui's, had brought many people inside Akela's house, who tried to catch a glimpse of the newcomers. The small meeting was getting a lot of attention, and Akela had to raise her voice in order to speak:

"Are you really willing to try and help us?" she asked loudly to bring silence to the room. "I do know that I am asking a lot, but we are desperate."

The last four words were pronounced slowly, as if they burned the woman's throat as they came out. She hated to ask for help, especially from strangers, but she had no choice. It was either that, or leaving her people to drown during the first night of their island's disappearance. It was quite easy to decide what to do.

"Hey, I bet the solution is pretty simple. That's always the case in this kind of situation." Maui whispered to Moana, unaware that Akela could hear.

"Is that what you think, demi-god?" the woman hissed, taking his remark as an insult to her intelligence. "Let me just remind you all of the facts that are making us trapped on this island."

And thus she repeated everything she had said earlier, only to leave Maui thoughtful, truly wondering how the people of Healani could be saved. Akela keep herself from smirking.

"We will offer you a tour of the island. Maybe it can help you think about a solution. We have an establishment were you and your people will be able to get some rest. Kalea will lead you there."

At the sound of her name, a young woman moved forward from the small crowd. Unlike her chief, she seemed pretty casual, as she walked towards the newcomers to push them outside. Without another word, Akela kneeled in front of the shrine to pray once again. That was all for their first meeting.

Once outside, Kalea began to speak in a quick, hyper voice:

"Yeah, sorry about Akela" she said. "She might appear scary and severe, but she's a real angel. Sometimes."

"She has to tell that to her face" Maui muttered, loud enough for everyone to hear. "This woman is as cold as an iceberg"

"She has a lot on her mind" Moana reasoned, trying to see the best in everyone. "Healani's problem is quite complicated."

"Complicated, ugh? How about building a ship big enough to fit all of these people?"

"They don't have the time nor the material." Moana argued.

"Why don't we get them all on your boats?"

"Good luck with that, there are about a hundred people here" Kalea stepped in.

Maui decided to keep his thoughts for himself. Maybe their problem was big after all, but he wouldn't admit it. It was better to try and find a solution in silence. There WAS, a solution, but what? He would find out sooner or later, but for the time being, he reported his attention on the tour that the young woman was offering.

They arrived near a lake, where many people had met on the shores. The water was crystal-clear, and there was a glimpse of excitation in the air. Kalea stopped walking.

"Is that a consequence of the sinking island?" Chief Tui asked.

"No, this is what we call the Transformation Pool. That's where the boys and girls of ages come to discover their shapeshifter's form. Seems like there's a ceremony right now. We can watch if you want.

A few meters away, a young man was approaching the lake, escorted by what seemed to be his parents. Dressed with a ceremonial robe, his eyes watched the calm waters, undoubtedly nervous. Acclamations came from the crowd when he entered the lake. His head's disappearance in the water was followed by a heavy silence, until a black dolphin splashed out, with a cry of happiness. While everybody clapped and cheered, Kalea scoffed:

"Another dolphin." she declared as she started to walk again. "It must have been the third, this month."

"That was impressive" Moana declared. "There are many ceremonies like this?"

"Every once in a while. You should see the part where they get tattooed, THAT'S where it gets serious. It's also usually the part where some of them regret turning into big sea animals" Kalea had a small laugh.

Maui's eyes widened when he noticed something about their guide:

"Hey, what do you transform into? You don't have any tattoos."

It was true: her brown skin bore no trace of ink, and she was much older than the boy from the Transformation Pool. She had a sorry smile and her eyes went to her feet as she walked:

"I cannot transform."

"This island is strange. You must not be the only one who cannot transform, that's impossible." Maui declared.

"Don't worry, I've checked. Everybody aged of more than sixteen years old can transform, except me. I've never touch the sea either, since we must transform in the pool before we can swim in the ocean."

She didn't seem to be that sad about it. In fact, she was used to it. Her inability to shapeshift had been a burning subject for Healani's inhabitants for the past years, so she couldn't do anything but laugh about it. Yet, now that these troubled times were upon the island, she couldn't help but worry. But her simple nature had made it easier to go through all of this. Now, she just wanted to help her people out. Akela, her childhood friend, had appointed her as her counselor, and Kalea was doing a great job, even if she wasn't a shapeshifter like everyone else.

They arrived at the said establishment, where the rest of Moana's people had been led. There were many fragile constructions that where meant for tent, and a fire in the middle. There was food that was being cooked and the smell filled the salty air. Kalea bowed to the newcomers:

"I have to go back to Akela now. She gets angry when I'm late. Get some rest, there's enough food and water for all of you. I'll see you later!"

She disappeared from where she arrived, leaving Moana and Chief Tui to their people. Around a delicious meal consisting of fish and vegetables, Maui was introduced to the people, who stared at him in disbelief. But the demi-god could only try to think of a solution, and soon wandered off in the woods, looking for a peaceful spot where to think.


	5. Honu

"Maybe I can pull the island back from the sea? Although it probably won't work since the island already exists" Maui pondered in a slow, growling voice.

For the last hour, the demi-god had been pacing around the wood in search of a solution for Healani. Nothing seemed to be the answer, and yet he could feel that there was something to be done. But what was it? The village chief had made it sound like it was impossible and it was getting to Maui's head. _Nothing's impossible for me!_ he thought as he swung his hook in his hand. Yet, the solution wasn't coming to him.

The demi-god sat down on a tree trunk, with a face like a child who didn't get what he wanted. His eyebrows furrowed in irritation, and his eyes went to the mini-Maui on his chest, who stared back with a puzzled look. So he didn't know what to do either. As he was about to reluctantly get up, a familiar voice made him stay:

"Where have you been these past years, Maui?" Moana asked as she approached him, the leaves moving and swishing as she walked toward her friend.

"I've help so many humans, I can't count" he bragged and crossed his arms on his chest. "How about you?"

The young woman smirked and mimicked his posture and tone: "I've discovered so many islands, I can't count."

Their eyes locked in a fierce staring contest, until a smile cracked on Moana's lips: "It's good to see you again"

"Come on, did you believe we weren't gonna see each other again?" Maui exclaimed as if it was really that obvious. "The gods wouldn't bear not to look at the historic duo that we are. Especially my part of the duo."

"You haven't changed a bit, have you?"

She laughed, and a comfortable silence was installed between the two friends. Maui went back to his thoughts and the young woman walking around. She had begun to notice how the sea water was beginning to flood the part of the island where they were. The hour during which she explored the woods around Maui passed quickly, and by the time she began to feel hungry, her feet were damp in salt water. Without setting her eyes away from the ground, she whispered: "This island is really sinking."

"We should get back to the camp." Maui declared, before pointing a finger to the horizon. "Look."

The way the demi-god pointed, the trees seemed to shake as their roots were slowly drowned in the sea. Akela's voice echoed in Moana thoughts: _We believe that the island will be sunken in a few days._ Those few days could be fewer that she had thought.

…

The sun was setting when the two friends began to hear the noises from the camp. Only, before truly coming out of the woods, they found their way barred by a rather rushed Kalea. She leaned against a tree, trying to catch her breath. She raised a finger at the two so they could wait and hear what she had to say:

"I know how to save the island." she quickly let out as her breath became more regular. "I have a solution, but Akela won't let me do it."

"Why?" inquired Moana, unsure of what to say.

But Kalea ignored the young woman: "Meet me here after dark, when everyone's asleep. Make sure no one follows."

With that, she turned back a disappeared in the woods. Moana and Maui exchanged a puzzled look:

"Why would their chief refuse any solution, at this point?" Moana asked.

The demi-god shrugged. They would have to wait for the night for any explanation.

…

The voyagers received a reasonable amount of food, and there was enough space for all of them to stay and sleep. The shapeshifters had all come back from the sea now that the sun was gone. Fires were lit around the camp, and the native women danced for the outsiders, although they were soon joined by others. It was a delightful night for most people: the natives felt saved, and the voyagers could finally eat and drink enough, which hadn't happened in weeks. Moana had joined her mother and the native women in a cheerful, traditional dance, but couldn't help but send questioning looks toward Akela. The woman's face looked frustrated as always, as if it was the only expression she knew. At her side, Kalea stared at the camp, sometimes moving with the beat of the drums. Maui was dancing, too, but only to make the children laugh. They all wanted to touch his hair and see his tattoos; they didn't see a demi-god every day!

Soon, people began to go back to their houses, and the voyagers back to their assigned beds. The fires were smothered and, plunged in darkness, Healani was sinister. But as requested by Kalea, Moana and Maui waited in said meeting place, until she arrived. Without a word, she inquired them to follow her.

Lucky for them, Kalea was a slow walker. In this darkness, she was almost impossible to follow. The moonlight was barely piercing through the leaves, sometimes allowing them to see her move with a determined look on her face. But at one point, she stopped. It was so sudden, Moana almost ran into her. In front of them stood a strange construction. It was made mostly out of stones, but some pillars clearly were made of wood. The sea had begun to take possession of the place, which now lied in shallow waters. An entrance led to a tunnel, even darker than the night. A turtle was engraved in a giant rock, over the entrance. The moon shone bright over it. For the first time that night, Kalea spoke:

"This is the temple of the Honu." she explained. "Do you know why the turtle is our guardian deity?"

Maui shrugged, but Moana didn't answer. She was listening.

"It is said that when human dies, we transform into sea animal, and that the sea is the after-life." Kalea began. "The shapeshifters have the ability to take this transformation during life, just like the turtle can travel from land to sea and from sea to land. Honu is a giant turtle who is said to protect this island, and this is his temple. It hasn't been visited for years, but Akela won't tell us why. I believe that Honu can help us, but the only way to contact him is in this temple."

"What could be so bad about this temple?" Maui said as he approached it.

"I don't know." admitted Kalea. "But if you help us, you will surely be granted a wish from the honu. Well, that's what I heard."

"It's worth a try." Moana exclaimed.

"We have to get out of there before tomorrow night." Kalea added. "After that, the temple will be flooded by the sea. Knowing all this, will you come with me?"

They all agreed and, with Moana to lead the way, set their first step inside the damp, obscure Honu Temple.


	6. Ohana

**Hey guys! I hope you enjoy this chapter! Also, I want to thank you for reading this fanfiction, so far it's been really fun to write!**

It was utter darkness that greeted them once inside. As they went forward, the moonlight began to disappear, which made their path unclear. So forward they went, Moana leading the way, Maui just behind and Kalea slightly farther. It was hard not to step on each other in this darkness, but after a few minutes, it began to be easier as their hands felt the wall to make sure they followed the path. The stench of the mold covering the walls and ceiling filled their nose and the water dripping from almost everywhere in an irregular sound only made the place creepier. Their footsteps echoed in the temple, strangers in such a remote construction. Moana was determined to step forward; the idea that maybe, _maybe_ the solution to this island's problem laid at the end of the path was worth the effort. Kalea only tried to keep up with the two other who walked quite faster than her. She listened to Maui's heavy footsteps in front of her, going faster when they seemed to be mere echoes of the real thing. The demi-god was…well, himself:

"Can you remind us why we didn't bring a torch?" he asked with sarcasm perceptible in his tone.

"I might have forgotten." Kalea's voice echoed in the dark. "I was afraid I'd get caught bringing you here, and the light would have given us away. I didn't think we would need one down here."

Her tone sounded half sorry, half fed up, since it was about the fourth time his question had broken the silence between the three of them.

"If you say so" he replied in a singsong.

"Leave her alone, Maui." Moana interfered.

Suddenly, she stopped walking. Her foot had touched the water, almost making her fall down. The rock floor was covered in slimy algae that made her remove her foot from there in disgust. In the darkness, her two companions didn't see her stop, and the demi-god ran into her, pushing her in the water. Kalea stopped when she heard a splash, but soon she could see why the girl had fallen: On the walls, torches magically lit up. Moana stood up again, squinting in the sudden light after a long time in the dark. They were now in a fully lit square room. The floor wasn't truly _a_ floor; it was water of a brown color and despicable smell. Whatever lied at the bottom of the pool was dead and rotten, and Moana hurried to get out of it. On the other side of the room, a large stone door stood, closed. Kalea stepped in and crouched, her hand softly touching the water:

"I've heard about this place." she murmured. "But I don't know what to do."

"I'll try to open the door" Maui declared as he brandished his fishhook and jump toward the door.

The two women watched him make a long jump and hit the door with his weapon which could usually cut through rocks. _Usually._ The door stood still, and the impact sent the demi-god flying back across the room, landing in the water with a much bigger splash than Moana. As Kalea's hid her mouth to keep herself from laughing, Moana helped her friend back up:

"I guess we'll just forget that option" she said. At least now we know the water isn't deep.

The three of them stepped in the middle of the room. The water reached both women's waist, a bit lower for Maui who was taller than both. They paced around the room, now used to the feeling of the muddy water on their skin, in search of a way to open the door. After nearly an hour of walking around, things began to feel hopeless. Kalea leaned on the door, soon to be rejoined by Moana. But the young woman surprisingly went right _through_ the door, as if it wasn't even there. Maui and Kalea heard a _thump_ as Moana felt on the ground, on the other side of the door:

"I'm okay!" she exclaimed from the other side. "And I've found the solution! You have to fall in the water to go through the door!"

Maui, who had also fallen in the water earlier, walked right through the door, soon followed by Kalea, who had let herself fall into the water before going after them. They now all smelled bad, and were back in the temple's utter darkness. Moana's hand reached for the door, but she couldn't go through anymore. They had to move forward through the temple.

And again they walked with their hands against the wall, Moana still leading the way. As they dried away the water from the previous room, the stench was going away, now a simple echo of the terrible smell. Moana's voice interrupted the silence:

"Kalea, don't you think that when the sun comes up, your chief will send anyone to look for us?" she asked.

"Nah, don't think so." Kalea replied from farther behind. "When she will notice that were gone, she'll probably just be angry at me until I come back. Then, she'll glare at me for a while, until she forgives me. She does that every now and then."

"That Akela seems to be quite the character" Maui commented. "Can't say I was surprised to see that her transformation was a shark."

"Her father was a shark, as was her grandfather, and her great grandfather, and so on. Can't say I was surprised either." Kalea commented.

"What about your parents? Could they transform, or were they…" Moana began.

"Like me? No, they could transform. My mother could turn into a seahorse, and had a stunning tattoo on her forearm." the woman remembered. "My father was a moray eel, which isn't rare for a man."

"What happened to them?" Moana risked.

"They disappeared at sea, like many others. It happens when people go for a swim just before the sun goes down."

She stopped talking as a glimpse of light dimly lit up the tunnel. They stepped in yet another room, about as big as the other. It wasn't as bright as the previous one and the floor wasn't filled with water. There was no door at the other end of the room, but the tunnel restarted there. Nothing seemed strange about this room, and Moana thought it was maybe a room meant for breaks. She couldn't have been more right; as she made a step in, the stones began to fall, and all the trio could do was watch the floor disappear in the void. There was no sound, no _thump_ indicating that there was something below them. The stones stopped falling at the end of the room, leaving the other end of the tunnel with his regular floor covered in moss.

"So that's how it works here, eh?" Kalea murmured for herself. "It's a tunnel, a weird room, another tunnel, another weird room, until we reached the bottom of this dang thing."

"How are we gonna cross this?" Moana asked, not seeing Maui taking a step back.

"It's Maui time!" he yelled as he grabbed both women and made a gigantic leap across the room.

Moana and Kalea barely had the time to realize what was going on when they found themselves on the other side of the room, with a satisfied Maui giving a high-five to the mini-Maui on his chest. Moana smirked:

"You needed to show off, right?" she asked her friend with a laugh.

"Well, it got us on the other side, and I looked cool doing it, so why stop myself?"

They decided to take a break. As Moana and Maui talked about something Kalea didn't know, she sat on the edge of the tunnel with her legs hanging in the void. Her instinct kicked in and she somehow knew that the sun was rising. As the counselor, she had to wake up before everyone, even before the sun, and she felt the time pass within herself. Now knowing that it was morning, she could imagine Akela realizing that her counselor was gone with Tui's daughter and the demi-god. By now, Healani's chief knew for sure where Kalea had gone, and was probably utterly mad about it. The counselor knew that the faith of the island lied at the bottom of the Honu Temple, even if her chief and friend didn't want to get down there. Something called her there, as if the solution for Healani rested within Healani itself. She sighed and stood up:

"Okay, we have twelve hours in front of us to get down this place."

Maui jumped to his feet, soon followed by Moana, and they continued forward in the darkness of Honu Temple.


End file.
